Refrigerating show case



Jan. 15, 1935. c. E. RORRER ET AL REFRIGERATING SHOW CASE Filed Feb. 2a, 1932 -INVENTORS C Q-/Q BY (Mz @y @fwn ATTORNEYS hama Jan. 1s, 193s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE E 1,987,797 REFBIGERATING SHOW CASE Denver, Colo.

Application February 23, 1932, Serial No. 594,517

9 Clalml.

Our invention relates to refrigerated show cases of the character shown and described in our application for patent, Serial No. 349,965, filed March 26, 1929, of which the present application is a continuation in part.

An important object of theinvention is to provide means for simultaneously cooling and moistening vegetables and fruits that are on open display. Heretofore it has been customary to l0 attempt to keep vegetables fresh by continually moistening them, and in warm climates this moisture is apt to induce wilting and decomposition. It has also been the custom to keep perishable materials in an enclosed refrigerator, with the attendant objection that a display of any value has been difcult if not impossible, and the goods are not then readily accessible to prospective purchasers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a show case having an enclosed refrigerated space provided with a glass covered opening through'which the contents of the space are visible from without, while at the same time, the articles in the space are readily accessible.

Still further objects reside in novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a broken plan of a refrigerating, show case embodying the objects of the present invention.

Figure 2 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a broken section of the top of the refrigerating case taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and drawn to an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a broken section of the top taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 and likewise drawn to an enlarged scale.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 9 designates a show case having an insulated oor 10. The case is closed at its front and rear sides by means of insulating doors 11 and 12 and immediately rearward of front door 11 is a space 8 containing shelves 13 for small articles of merchandise. The space 8 is closed at the top by a shelf 14 supporting slide rails l5. Alined with the upper surface of the rails is a weighing scale platform 16 and dial 17. A basket, or other carrying means, can be easily slid along the rails and onto the scale platform without lifting or lowering same. The dial 17 of the scale has been-set be- 55 tween the rails for protection.

is a section taken on the line-22 of The case has a display top compartment provided with a glass front wall 18. 'Ihe top conipartment or bin has a metallic bottom 19 for the conduction of cold air from a set of cooling pipes 20 directly below the same. As can be seen, the 5 pipes 20 not only cool the interior of the case, but also vegetables placed on the top above same.

The bottom 19 of the case slants rearwardly so that fruits and vegetables thereon, may be more readily seen from the front of the case. More- 1Q over, the slant gives the illusion to a prospective customer that there is a larger quantity on display than actually exists.

The slant with its corresponding illusion is valuable in merchandising since a small quantity 1B of fruits or vegetables will thereby make an attractive display and the larger the quantity on display, the greater the invitation is, to buy.

Adjacent the front and rear edges of the bottom plate 19 are two racks or rails 21 having alterl0 nate shallow slots 22 and deep slots 23. Rods 24 are seated in the slots. The ends of the rods bear against a support 25 for the glass front 18, and the two series of slots of different depths permit of varying the relation of the rods with relation 25 to the top, as shown in Figure 3, depending upon the nature of the merchandise displayed.

To prevent excessive chilling for certain types of perishable merchandise, the top compartment may be closed by the plates 26, which also pro- $0 vide an vadditional support for merchandise. The plates rest at their front edges on the glass wall, and each plate has an upwardly extending rim 27 at its front edge to hold merchandise in place. The plates 26 at their rear edges have down- 85 wardly projecting flanges 28 caught over the upper edge of a rear wall 29 of the case.

A sprinkler system is shown above the caso, including a sprinkler pipe 30 apertured for the discharge of water onto vegetables placed on the top of the case. A hood 31 above the pipe 30 directs the water onto the merchandise.

The interior of the case has a drain opening 38 connected with the, drain pipe 32 by means of a branch pipe 39. The drain 32 is likewise connected at a low point 40 of the top compartment to carry off water draining from vegetables placed on rods 24.

The partitions 33 are supported in the deep slots 23 of the two rails 21 and by moving them 50 laterally, the widths of the sections or bins are readily varied in accordance with the requirements of the merchandise to be contained therein. The partitions extend from the top of the compartments to adjacent the bottom of the same and in order to support them in the grooves 35 they are provided with tongues 34, as best shown in Figure 4.

The doors 11 and 12 respectivelyhave windows 36 and 37 so that merchandise in the case can be seen without opening the doors.

'I'he advantages of a show case of the above described construction are thought to be clearly apparent; Vegetables and fruits placed on top of the case may be cooled and simultaneously sublected to moisture which is the mo'st effective way of keeping such perishable merchandise fresh.

The interior of the case is easily accessible to the'customer through the door 11, while clerks may easily replenish the stock therein through the other door 12 without interfering with the customers.

The customer obtains a basket to be filled with the desired merchandise and slides the same along the rails 15 on the shelf 14 and onto the platform 16 of the scale to weigh the same.

'I'he top plates 26 provide trays for the support of merchandise above the compartments and these trays may be removed to give access to merchandise displayed directly on the rods 24. By means of the transparent front wall 18 of the top and the transparent front door of the case, a customer may see all of the various kinds of merchandise displayed in and upon the showv case, from any point within the store.

Changes may be made in the various features just described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a show case of the character described, a display compartment having a slanting bottom, rails at opposite sides of the compartment having slots, selectively adaptable to the reception of rods or partitions. said slots opening in the upper edges thereof, rods resting in selected slots and adjustable transverse partitions having tongues in selected opposite slots of the rails.

2. In a show case, a slanting bin at the top thereof, a rack in the bin effective to space merl chandise therein from the bottom of the same, and an adjustable transverse partition, and means selectively adaptable to the support of said rack or said partition, said means being constructed to support the rack .at diiIerent predetermined elevations above and in substantially parallel relation to the bottom. 3. In a show case, a bin in an elevated position at the top thereof, having a forwardly slanting bottom, toeffect a gravitational displacement of merchandise placed thereon, transverse partitions in the bin dividing same into compartments, and a rack.con1prising rods extending across the bottom in substantially parallel relation thereto, and means selectively ad ptable to the support of said rods or partitions. Y

4. In a show case, a bin in an elevated position at the top thereof, having a forwardly slanting bottom, to effect a gravitational displacement of merchandise placed thereon, transverse partitions in the bin dividing same into compartments, and a rack comprising rods extending across the botnwalls, and a tray seated on upstanding rim adjacent the front wall, the tray .ble to the reception of said rods or partitions, said cross rails extending through planes substantially normal tothe planeof the slanting bottom, and

means to limit gravitational displacement of said rods.

6. In a show case, a bin, and a rack in the bin for the support of merchandise, comprising slotted cross bars, the slots of which are selectively adaptable to the reception of rods or partitions, rods resting in selected slots of the cross bars, and movable partitions having portions thereof resting in other selected slots of the cross bars and dividing the bin into compartments.

'7. In a show case having a slanting display top, rails at opposite sides of the top, having slots, selectively adaptable to the reception of rods or partitions, said slots, opening in their upper edges. rods resting in selected slots of the rails constituting a rack for the support of merchandise, and partitions having portions thereof resting in other selected slots of the rails dividing the top into separate bins.

8. In a show case of the character described, a display stand comprising a compartment having its floor inclined to effect gravitational displacement of articles displayed therein and having an upwardly extending rim at the lower end of the oor providing a stop for said gravitationally displaced articles, said compartment having a rack inclined in substantially parallel relation to said floor, comprising slotted cross bars, the slots of which are selectively adaptable to the reception tof rods or partitions, rods resting in selected slots thereof, and a movable partition having portions thereof resting in other selected slots and dividing the bin into compartments.

9. In a show case of the character described, a display stand comprising a compartment inclined to eect gravitational displacement of articles displayed therein and having front and rear said Walls having an being inclined in conformity with the inclination of the compartment and the front wall of the compartment being transparent to expose merchandise therein, said compartment having a rack inclined in substantially parallel relation to said floor, comprising slotted cross bars, the slots of which are selectively adaptable to the reception of rods or partitions, rods resting in selected slots thereof, and a movable partition having portions there-of resting in other selected slots and dividing the bin into compartments.

CHARLES E. RORRER.

ALBERT R. MI'ITERER. 

